Lamen
and Sigil 741: A New Magickal Life
By
Frater Kentroversy
Editor's Note:
For the first part of this magickal ritual instruction,
please visit:
http://www.maybelogic.org/maybequarterly/01/0112LamenandSigil741.htm
With the imminent birth of our son Anthony Owen, the Rose Quartz Woman and I could afford to take no
chances concerning his health. We had been progressing with the plan that had
been already created, when the most wonderful surprise occurred. This plan had
been fully discussed in the first part of this ritual instruction, as published
in the debut issue of the Maybe Quarterly, which was published on the Winter Solstice 2004. It should be at
times like this, where each one of us realize that life itself is a series of
happy accidents --- each one designed to show us the sublime that we most often
miss --- because we have been too busy searching for the obvious.
This surprise would have never happened, if it were not for Maybe
Logic Academy; the online school of metaphysics and ontology. Additionally, the Academy administrator has made the following
comments about Maybe Logic: "Maybe Logic is centered in optimism,
flexibility of thinking, e-prime, the fallibility and relativity of perception,
tolerance and courtesy, probabilities, and multiple perspectives rather than
absolute truths." For those readers who may
not have heard the term ontology
before; it is quite simply the most general branch of metaphysics, concerned
with the study of being. The Dictionary
of Theories describes ontology in the following manner: "Generally,
either the study of being, or a particular theory of what there is." Structurally, ontology is akin to Stanislaw
Lesniewski's (1886-1939) system of mereology, which is literally, the theory of parts. Both ontology and mereology study that
which is, by also studying that
which is not.
Through my association with Maybe Logic Academy, I had become recently acquainted with a young
artist who injects a gentle mix of symbology and religious and mystical
archetypes into his work. A new member of MLA, he had read one of my own
message board postings where I had been extremely honest and forthright about
the current circumstances of my life, as well as some of the difficulties that
surrounded both the Rose Quartz Woman and our son. Because of reasons of
confidentiality, I cannot discuss the specifics of these ongoing troubles here
in this forum. But, what I can
say is that it was this ongoing problem that necessitated protection of both
the mother and the son throughout the entire pregnancy.
This young artist calls himself Nemo, which was, in and of itself, rather interesting;
especially in light of the fact that the title of Nemo is directly involved
with the ordeal in which I found myself embroiled at the very moment of the
artist Nemo's appearance in my life. As a magician, I had taken the Oath
of The Abyss some several months previous.
Traversing the Abyss is one of the highest and most-difficult ordeals that any
magician has to endure. The Abyss may be conquered only after successfully
defeating Chronozon, the
demon-guardian of the outermost region. As with the various ordeals of my
entire life up to this point, I would dangle perilously close to the edge of
complete destruction, and would never know if I had succeeded or failed until the
very last moment!
Such is the nature of the Abyss.
Nemo had sent me an e-mail explaining that he had read some
of my message board postings. As I am in my entire life, I had written in an
extremely honest manner about some of my misadventures as I drew closer to the City of the Pyramids. "Why, oh why, did I have to take that
oath?!" I wrote at one point. Nemo asked me
if I would enjoy one of his prints of the Archangel Raphael, who as a point of fact, had helped me convalesce
after I was seriously injured in the July 1993 hit-and-run, where I suffered
enough injury that I now require a wheelchair to get me through each days' activities. Raphael is
the Archangel of protection and healing, and is described in the Dictionary of Angels as the regent of the sun. Knowing this through my own personal experience of
more than a decade ago, I replied to Nemo:
"Thank you for your heartfelt e-mail. Thank you again
for your kind offer to assist my family in our current ordeal. I am looking
forward to receiving your package. I am doing everything that I can to protect
the baby and my wife."
Raphael was the very
angel that I evoked as I lay in bed for six-weeks throughout the last half of
July and all of August 1993, with my doctors telling me that I would never walk
again. My own life experience had yet again shown me that there was indeed a strong
mental component to healing. I had once
again proven the doctors wrong. Today, with great effort and an outrageous
amount of pain, I can walk short distances. I sometimes use my wheelchair as a
walker when I am out at the grocery store, for just one example. It is at these
times, that I get the most interesting looks from some of the people that I
encounter. They simply do not know how to deal with what their eyes are showing
them. Therefore, when Nemo offered me the help of his special healing and
protection angel, I was deeply and profoundly touched that he had even made
such an offer. Receiving unsolicited gifts in this lifetime is indeed a rare
occurrence, but, when that same gift is spiritual in nature, it makes the event all the more
memorable.
On Friday, January 28, 2005, we received Nemo's remarkable
gift of love and healing. Upon opening the large yellow padded-envelope, both
myself and the Rose Quartz Woman were completely overwhelmed by both the
generosity and intent behind the gift. I was extremely happy that this package
arrived on one of her days off! It was a wonderful moment that we shared
together, and to see the expression on her face was one of the truly memorable
moments of the entire pregnancy up to that point.
Here, Nemo has graciously allowed me to exclusively
reproduce his Archangel Raphael artwork
for this essay. The artwork below may be found at the following website
address:
http://www.nemo.org/Galleries/galleries.php?gallery=4&subcat=20&image=270
Figure
1
- Archangel Raphael by Nemo
When I opened up the package and found the artwork inside, I
immediately recognized it as something very special. Because I had been
studying and practicing sigil magick,
the symbolic content was extremely intriguing to me. Not only was the artwork
visually stunning, it contained layer upon layer of archetypal symbolism, all
related to healing, protection, and divine guidance. Included in the package were a large and a small
sized print of the above artwork, with each containing different background
art. Where to best utilize this energy required no thought at all; the large
print would go in the dining room, above the magickal altar that can be found
there, and the small print happened to have fit perfectly above Anthony Owen's
crib. The healing and protective energy, once evoked, would cycle infinitely
between both rooms, filling the entire space between them with this with this
powerful love-based energy.
Here is what Nemo himself says about this piece of art,
which comes from the information provided on the information sheet included
with each copy of the print:
Raphael means "God Has Healed" or "God Is Healed." This archangel is representative of all that is healing and sacred. He is seen
as the angel at the center of the Jewish and Hermetic Tree of Life,
representing the Sun connecting the eight spokes of power in the Tree. The Sun
is within his heart, his face is a symbol of his Hebrew name. The four Cherubim
float behind him and the symbol of his healing Caduceus is on the right,
flanked by ancient images of protection. The glyph on the bottom right is his
ancient symbol of earthly evocation. He is balanced by the four elements in
each corner; the fifth, spirit, is above his head a rainbow colored sphere. On
every side there are images and markings of healing and divine guidance. Rest
your eyes in his heart and feel surrounded by his Love.
Additionally, here is what Nemo's website has to say about
this print:
Raphael can be seen as the angel of Tiphareth,
sixth Sephiroth, which is also seen as the sun, for that reason, the
traditional symbol for the sun (circle with point in the center) is at the
center of the heart, while the extremities extend in 8 directions as Tiphareth
does to its contiguous Sephiroth. Note the suns emanating from behind Raphael.
His face is the sigil created by the Golden Dawn's Hebrew Rose Cross Lamen (say
that 10 times quickly).
He is surrounded by the 5 traditional elements,
clockwise center, spirit, water, air, fire, earth. Since the spirit element is
the top one and corresponds to the Sephiroth Kether, the added symbols of
transcendent beauty, the rainbow and the all seeing eye are my own additions.
The moon shown on the middle descending path, is to represent the energy moving
towards the Sephiroth Yesod.
Raphael's traditional symbol is the Caduceus,
shown at the right, and it is flanked by two evil eye protectors, from the
middle and near east. The six pointed star has a great deal of pertinence in
traditional magickal workings, and is encapsulating the traditional sigil of
Raphael himself. The four angels above him are the four Cherubs or Kerubim, and
the 20 stars to the left compose two Trees of Life. The blocks to the left and
right of Raphael are all my sigils of healing and the upper and lower blocks
are my sigils to Raphael. That's it for the intentional esoteric symbolism.
Looking at the above, the first thing that struck me was how
much power of healing and protection had
been infused into the piece. I have been the most successful at magick on the
occasions where I was able to successfully layer levels of spells,
incantations, and energy into the operation of which I was employed at any
given moment of tremendous importance. Examining the print, it was apparent
that this was also how Nemo himself worked.
Editor's Note: An
interview with this visionary young artist will be featured in Maybe Quarterly
# 04, due to be published on the Fall Equinox 2005.
I anxiously awaited Raphael's arrival, and had already
prepared a ritual to activate his associated powers of protection, healing,
and divine guidance. This would
be done as soon as we returned from the frame shop, where we had both prints
custom matted and framed. Even though I am an experienced magician, I had
never-before worked with someone else's artwork in such a capacity. I was
certainly curious to see how well this would work, especially given the fact
that Nemo lives clear across the country on the West Coast, and I on the East
Coast of the United States.
Before I received the Raphael prints, I sent Nemo a
photograph of myself and the Rose Quartz Woman, taken at a wedding where I was
best-man. I also provided him with one final bit of information, the exact global
positioning satellite coordinates for our
home address. This way, he could pinpoint our location by scientific means,
directing the healing energies precisely to the proper persons at the correct
address clear across the country, from Eugene, Oregon USA to Buffalo, New York USA! The same energy that flows in an infinite cycle
between the two Raphael prints in my home, then started cycling between Oregon
and New York, and back again. This continues until the magician decides it must
stop, because it is no longer needed.
Angelic Evocation: Raphael Visits The
Family of Frater Kentroversy
Upon returning from the frame shop, I began making final
preparations for the ritual later that night. Upon the altar, I placed my wand,
dagger, pantacle, incense, Abramelin oil, brass Tibetan Singing Bowl, and my
own grimoire, which contained the instructions on the steps required for
evocation and proper activation of Raphael's angelic energies. The Tibetan
Singing Bowl is used as a bell, and it is with this instrument that I create
the knocks at the various points throughout the various rituals I perform. If
you have never heard one of these bowls, you are missing out on one of the
universe's greatest harmonic treats! It is a truly beautiful sound! This was going to be an excellent night, I
thought to myself, as I examined the Raphael artwork under the candlelight. In
Nemo, here was someone I barely knew, but nonetheless, I was deeply moved by
such a genuine and loving gesture.
We began at eleven o'clock that night, because Raphael is
the ruler of that hour of the night, and the ritual lasted forty minutes total.
Just before we started, I placed a large Salvia Divinorum leaf in my mouth to chew. By the time I had arrived
at the evocation part of the ritual, I was under the influence of the Diviner's
Sage. The artwork danced and pulsated, as
Raphael's flames sprung to life. I had the artwork laid flat, on top of my
pantacle --- sandwiched between the pantacle on one side was my Enochian
Tablet of Union on the bottom, sitting face
up upon the altar.
For those that have never heard of the Enochian Tablet of
Union before, allow me to briefly explain
what it is. In the table below, the Enochian Tablet of Union is duplicated. Reading horizontally, we find four
names representing the spirits of the elements: Exarp
= Spirit of Air, Hcoma = Spirit of Water, Nanta
= Spirit of Earth, and Bitom = Spirit of Fire. I have worded these in a slightly different manner
than the way they usually appear, and this was in an attempt to make the
spirits contained within the tablet easier to understand for the person
unfamiliar with magick.
This tablet represents the first stage of magickal
manifestation, and as I discussed in the first part of this instruction, it is
the idea (or spirit) that represents that first stage of manifestation. Just as
the will represents the first stage of manifestation for the magician, the
spirit of the unborn child represents the first stage in the physical
manifestation of a human being, such as the case with my wife and son. In its'
use, the magician projects this tablet and imagines himself standing in the
very middle of the tablet --- and by natural extension, the entire universe ---
between the O in Hcoma and the
second N in Nanta.
This is the true etymological genesis of the term centering
oneself.
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E
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X
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P
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H
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C
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O
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M
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A
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Table
1
- Enochian Tablet of Union
Under the candlelight, the most interesting thing occurred.
With the flicker of the candles, the colors of Raphael's body seemed to leap
from the page, just as if it were the center of the dancing flame of a hearth
fire. With the ChromaDepth 3D glasses that were included with the prints, this
dancing flame effect intensified to a considerable degree. This also
represented the earliest sign that the evocation was beginning to raise
Raphael. The success of Nemo's artwork is due to the layer upon layer of magick, love,
healing, and symbology that was infused into the design elements of this
piece of artwork. I asked Nemo about what type of a symbol reference library he
keeps, and he replied with the following:
"I'm a symbol hound. At my highest point I could
(short-term) memorize about 250-350 Japanese characters in about an hour or
less, plus I've got a degree in religion, so I've got a lot of cosmograms in my
head (one of my specialties was Gnostic Christianity). I have several books
here and I just go through them as a connection arises or if I need something
new, I just Google it."
This is interesting, as Nemo has several prints available of
his representations of Kanji symbols for
fire, hemp, and wind.
He also has a wonderful print of the Hindu symbol representing the almighty
mantra Aum. I would really
recommend that the reader check out the unique artwork of Nemo, as it is like
nothing else you have never seen! Nemo can be located at the two websites:
One other item that I use in my magick rituals was a
favorite of the ancient Egyptians, and this is wine soaked with the sacred Blue
Lotus (Nymphaea Caerulea), which is crushed
and added to a favorite red wine. The Blue Lotus wine is used for ritual use
only, and not for drinking with dinner. This is because I wish to treat it with
the same respect as was given by the ancient Egyptians. The crushed Blue Lotus
looks kind of like a wheat-colored herbal tea. The recipe is five grams of
crushed Blue Lotus per one-liter bottle of your favorite red wine, minus half
of one glass (about 150 ml.) removed, which is required to enable the proper
amount of Blue Lotus to fit into the bottle. After the Blue Lotus is added and
mixed, re-cork the bottle and let it chill in the refrigerator for one week to
ten days before use.
The effect that the Blue Lotus has on the wine is to vastly amplify the effect of the alcohol
content. It gives it a much greater effect, which is similar to what one
experiences when comparing the higher alcohol content in the beers and ales of
Canada with the much lower alcohol content of their American counterparts,
which are usually 50-66% less potent than similar Canadian products. With this
type of additive, the wine thus becomes a soporific drink, which simply means that the combination makes
the drinker extremely relaxed and
a bit sleepy. This potion is then
used during the ritual, and combined with the other intoxicants that I use
during these ceremonies, leaves myself and the other ritual participants with a
feeling of intense relaxation.
As to the question as to where one can purchase this favored
flower of the ancient Egyptians, a simple Internet search of the term Blue
Lotus (Nymphaea Caerulea) will turn up
several merchants that offer this substance. Unfortunately, I cannot recommend
any of them, because this substance may not be legal in all countries. However,
if the interested reader would perform a simple Internet search, they can
easily discover the legality and availability in their area of the world.
Incidentally, the ancient Egyptian god that was associated with the Blue Lotus
was Nefertem, the god of perfume.
In Pyramid Text 266, Nefertem is referred to as "the lotus blossom
which is before the nose of Ra." Nefertem
is usually depicted with a Lotus blossom on his head.
As far as some of the other herbs and potions that are
appropriate for ritual use, the reader can use Abramelin Oil (the incense without smoke), Ayahuasca Tea, Salvia Divinorum, or the sacred magic mushroom. As always, the reader should perform careful
research on any alternative substance used. In fact, any magick reference
library that is of any real and lasting value will contain several books on the
proper use of these substances and potions. If it is the first time such
substances are being used, an experienced guide should accompany the neophyte throughout the entire
ritual. As with the use of any mind-altering drug, the reader is cautioned to
observe the rules regarding dosage,
set, and setting. This will ensure that the experience is safe and
productive for everyone involved.
The protection ritual as published in Maybe Quarterly # 01
was once again performed, with the exception of the evocation prayers reprinted
below. As I do with many of the rituals, I inject my own writing and
communicative abilities into the ritual. Beyond personalizing the ritual, doing
my own writing helps me to better understand the principles at work. When doing
writing of this nature, I place myself into a light trance. While in this
trance, I commune with the energy I am trying to contact. Next, I write down
whatever message I am given in the form of writing that is called automatic
writing. This is the same process that
Aleister Crowley undertook when he received The Book of the Law from Aiwaz on April 8, 9, and 10, 1904 --- and the
writing always comes fast, furious, and usually without error. Such spiritual
communication always includes information previously unknown to me, and later
verification of this information has always proven it to be correct and
accurate. Automatic writing was the method also used in the successful Conversations
With God book series by Neale Donald
Walsch.
In the case of the Archangel Raphael evocation, the evocation prayer was inserted into the ritual
in the position previously held by Archangel Michael. The two sections were
merely swapped, and in Michael's place was now Raphael. This was also the case
with the other evocations implemented. I will once again state that the
structure of my own rituals must always contain twelve sections, and the reason
for this is because of the sum of the individual numbers: 7 + 4 + 1 = 12.
Because of this, great care has to be taken to assure that this 7 4 1 structure
is always maintained. While I can say with no hesitation that 741 is
the Qabalistic number of Kentroversy, this
is not an appropriate forum to discuss or reveal the method of unlocking the
secret keys to my power as a magician. This has to be kept secret for reasons
of self-protection, and it is my hope that the reader understands the many
reasons for this desire.
Here is the evocation prayer that was used to summon and
activate Raphael, one that I wrote myself:
"Raphael,
we call unto you; holy angel of protection and healing,
We
bow to your revealing, and of watching over the child.
We
pay respect unto thee, and we will always honor your name,
As
you break out into flame, leaping from the mind of dear brother Nemo.
We
activate the power and the glory of your name,
We
accept your protection, just as Nemo has done the same.
We
cycle your energy through our hearts,
In
order to give the child a loving start,
And
to send it back from whence it came.
Raphael,
we pay you respect and honor,
At
the beginning and ending of each day.
Raphael,
we bow at the marvel and wonder,
of
your work; as we follow, you lead the way.
Protect
us as we travel in the sunlight,
Protect
us as we ritual by the moonlight.
Protect
the child as he passes from his world unto our own.
Protect
us all as we begin this new phase together, yet alone.
Raphael,
we thank you for your power,
As
you protect us each day by the hour.
We
accept Nemo's gift of protection and love,
Just
as we accept Raphael's power that comes from above.
Ah,
woman! Ah, child! All mercy; meek and mild!
While
others bemoan the universal mystery,
We
thank you and praise you, for protecting the child,
And
for letting him see the things he needs to see.
Do
what thou wilt shall be the whole of the law,
Love
is the law, love under will,
So
mote it be!"
©
2005 Frater Kentroversy
All
rights reserved. Used with permission.
If the reader counts the number of lines in the above
evocation, they will find twenty-eight lines, in seven stanzas. Again,
twenty-eight follows the numeric structure as discussed above, because 7 x 4 x
1 = 28. The consistency of this numerological signature is important, as with
the entire subject of magick, the deeper something is layered, the greater
chance for success of the operation. This reinforcement helps the underlying
structure, as my magicians' mind is trained with the knowledge of the meaning
of the 7 4 1 signature. The more deeply I imbed my own magickal signature into
either ritual or my tools, such as my Amethyst wand, lamen,
pantacle, and sigil, the more useful those tools become.
This, in turn, makes me more powerful and more successful as a magician.
Astrological Personality Menu?
As soon as we became pregnant, I immediately began thinking
about ways we could influence the personality development of the baby. The instant the Rose Quartz Woman knew
she was pregnant, I boldly pronounced that I knew it was going to be a boy.
Even though, at 35, we were told that she was of advanced maternal age, I still knew it was going to be a boy.
Even with my own age being 43, and men of such age usually father girls, I still knew it was going to be a boy.
How did I know?
Simple, I asked for the spirit of a boy to grace us with his love.
The solution for this was ultimately found in the magick
library, under the subject of astrology. Even though I am only beginning
serious study of astrology, I immediately recognized the importance and
potential of data from this area. Intuitively, it seemed like the answer to the
personality development of the child would somehow involve astrology. I knew
this as deeply and firmly as I knew we were going to have a boy.
The Astrologer
In August 2002, I had an astrologer create three reports. I
purposely used an astrologer who was outside of this entire area of the
country, and had no chance of knowing either of us personally. I wanted this to
be a completely blind test, with neither of us knowing one another. The woman I
hired was located in Las Vegas, Nevada USA. I spoke to her by phone and by
e-mail. We had never met, and she did not know what either of us looked like,
nor did she know anything of our interests, or details of our life together. I
selected her because she was board-certified by the American Federation of
Astrologers.
I never would have become interested in astrology as a
method of protection; if it hadn't been for all those news reports over the
years about first ladies Eleanor Roosevelt, Nancy Reagan, and Hillary Clinton
scheduling important events and meetings upon the advice of their personal
astrologers. Nancy Reagan has even stated publicly that the success of her
husband's presidency was because of astrological considerations. Here was a
reputable and invaluable tool that was being used by high-level politicians to
help them make their most important decisions, while the general public is
relegated to the 1-900 television astrologers and mystic scam artists. The
training these telephone workers receive has nothing to do with astrology, but
how to keep all callers on the phone as long as possible, as the meter quietly
ticks away at $4.95 or more per minute. Astrology, to most people, is only the
tiny horoscopes printed toward the back of the daily newspaper.
Before I continue onward with this astrological analysis,
allow me to introduce you to the two primary reference books that I have in my
own library. These two books, I wholeheartedly recommend to anyone who is
interested in learning more about astrology. These two books are encyclopedic
in their presentation, and they explain how the entire process works. The first
book is called Parker's Astrology, and
was written by Julia & Derek Parker. Referred to on the front cover as "The
definitive guide to using astrology in every aspect of your life," this book explains everything the beginner student
needs to know about and understand. Broken down into five sections, this book
in its' 496 pages, explains in great detail, the entire system and how it all
works. More information about these two books can be found in the bibliography
section of this essay.
This book shows the reader everything; beginning with the
basics, with step-by-step instructions on how to draw one's own charts.
Advanced techniques are explained in easy to understand language, and in using
these books, I have never felt that I was being dealt with in a condescending
manner. In the section Astrology in Action,
the system is interpolated into common life situations, with full explanation
of how the planetary bodies affect human behavior and personality. The longest
section of the book is The Planets at Work, and in its' 150+ pages, every planet is discussed in relation to the
affect they have on human behavior. The fifth and final section contains the
reference charts needed to calculate the individual charts. This series of
reference charts contains reference material from 1921 to 2012. If the reader
is interested in astrology, this is the book I would most like to recommend,
and this is because of its' encyclopedic content and approach.
The necessary companion to Parker's Astrology, is their own Sun & Moon Signs book. On the back cover, it says the following about
this excellent book: "Explore all the Sun signs and their physical,
rational, and emotional characteristics. Discover the conflicting and
complementary effect of the Moon on each of the twelve signs." We have all heard news stories about how crimes and
suicides increase during the times of the full moon. This is because the human
body is 70% water, and just as the sun and moon affect the ocean tides, these
two heavenly bodies have a similar effect on all humans and their behavior.
Parker's Sun & Moon Signs book is set up in a different manner from their astrology reference,
as described above. Here, each of the twelve sun signs are presented in order,
along with each of the twelve moon signs presented within each section. In the
back of the book are the master moon-sign charts, which trace births between
1923 and 2000. It is interesting to note that my own Sun sign is Sagittarius,
and my Moon sign is Gemini. This Sagittarius-Gemini configuration means that I
was born under the influence of a full-moon. The Rose Quartz Woman's Sun sign
is Leo and her Moon sign just so happens to be Pisces, the sign under which our
son will be born. Under each section of the Sun & Moon Signs book, each sign is broken down into the following
components: introduction, myths & legends, symbolism, physical profile, personality profile, aspirations, health, leisure
activities enjoyed, love, and at home. After these descriptions, is a rather large section entitled The
Moon & You. This section features all
twelve signs, and breaks them down in the following manner; self-expression, romance,
well-being, planning
ahead, and parenthood.
While I cannot go into every detail about the astrological
traits of Sagittarius (the Mage) and Leo (the Rose Quartz Woman), I will
briefly describe some of the most intriguing elements that are found in these
two books mentioned immediately above. After these descriptive explanations, I
will then detail some of the comments that the Astrologer made about us from
our birth-chart information and compatibility data.
Again, I wish to emphasize that this information was
startlingly accurate!
Astrological Components of Sagittarius
Thursday, November 23, 1961
10:30am, Buffalo, NY USA
·
Sun Sign = Sagittarius
·
Moon Sign = Gemini
(Full Moon)
·
Ruling Planet =
Jupiter
·
Ruling Angel = Michael
·
Day of Week = Thursday
Sagittarians are said to be perpetual students, and this is
certainly true of myself. I have taken many years and much money to put
together a formidable reference library here in my own home. These reference
titles represent wide-ranging interests in many disparate subject areas: metaphysics, ontology,
world religions, mythology, magick,
untold or hidden world history,
and general reference dictionaries and encyclopedias on many subjects and
disciplines. The acquisition of knowledge has been a life-long pursuit, and I
am self-taught in a number of areas. Many people throughout my entire life have
stated that this makes me an extremely interesting conversationalist.
Sagittarians are also known to have non-conformist personalities, with special emphasis on truth and justice. This has been a part of my own personality since as far back as I can
remember. All throughout my school years, this unconformity had gotten me into
trouble on a frequent and regular basis. When I finally came to the realization
that school was more closely related to societal conditioning and not the teaching of usable real-life knowledge,
I was able to confound both my
teachers and the school principal. On February 27, 2005, Maybe Logic Academy
member Metachor posted the
following comment about the true goal of public education, in response to
public comments Microsoft Chairman Bill Gates had made about the American
public school system being broken:
"I work as a high-school
teacher in Virginia, as does one of my parents. We both agree with [Bill] Gates
on this issue: public high school in America was never intended to prepare
children for college. The original goal of the founders of American public
education was to produce good factory workers who would obediently follow
orders to carry out simple tasks."
Sagittarians have a love of books and teaching, and anyone
who visits my home will immediately recognize this as being especially true for
me as well. Among the 3,000+ books in my personal library, I have a collection
of rare editions of the work of authors Stephen King, J.R.R. Tolkien, and Douglas Adams,
among others. My own desire to collect rare books is also evident in my magick
library, where I have made considerable effort to collect original printings of
important books. Perhaps the most-prized piece of my entire magick library is a
copy of the infamous Blue Equinox.
This single book cost several hundred dollars, but it was certainly worth
having because it completed the entire collection of Equinox volumes. For those
readers who are unfamiliar with The Equinox, it was the magick journal published personally by
Aleister Crowley, and was described by him as "the encyclopedia of
initiation."
My interest in teaching has manifested itself in the regular
classes that I hold in my home regarding the practice of magick. Interestingly,
the Sagittarian centaur was at one time in the past, a symbol of the teaching profession.
The primary motivation for my teaching of magick was my belief that the
sacred mysteries must become available to the general public to see proper
spiritual ascension for all on this planet.
It is very troubling to me that there exists the ideology known as intellectual
fascism, which is an ideology held by the
global elite, that everyone outside of their own wealth and influence
do not deserve to have access to this secret spiritual knowledge and its'
associated teachings.
Sagittarians special love of writing and publishing is a
natural extension of their love of books. This is especially true of my own
life experience. This was why during the mid-1980's to the mid-1990's, I was
self-employed in my own commercial printing business. Men who work in the
commercial printing industry often comment about how they have ink in their veins instead of blood. Over the years, I
have heard this comment many times, as it is an in-joke to those in this
particular profession. To expand their knowledge and encourage others to do the
same is a powerful motivation for those of us born under this sign. Leadership
is also a Sagittarian trait, and in my own case, the leadership role I played
in the development of the very publication you are now reading is further evidence
of this interest and motivation. Sagittarians are known to be natural leaders,
and in the development of the Maybe Quarterly from an idea to a final finished product, I played
the role of lead organizer. For my efforts, I have worked as founding editor of
the publication, something that brings me much pleasure and gratification. I am
very proud of this accomplishment, especially given that it occurred at a time
of great uncertainty in my
personal life.
In the Parker's Sun & Moon Signs book (pg. 418), it states that "there are,
however, certain types of Sagittarian who are attracted almost exclusively to
either physical or mental activities." This
is also accurate, as my closest friend is also a Sagittarian, and while I
harbor 99% mental interests, he leans heavily in the physical direction, as he
is a licensed massage therapist. On this same page, it states that "there
are the bookish types who do not care for anything resembling physical
exercise." This is very interesting, as it
describes me to a large degree.
Because I was born on a Thursday, and Sagittarius is the
ruling sign of that day, this means that I received the purest form of
Sagittarian energy. While for others born under this sign, the psychological
factors are mere fascinations, for me, they are extreme compulsions. I could
not do things any differently than I am currently, and this is because of the
influence of that purest form of Sagittarian energy. This matter will be
discussed further in the section where my astrological report is presented in
excerpted form.
Astrological Components of Leo
Sunday, August 17, 1969
4:15pm, Buffalo, NY USA
·
Sun Sign = Leo
·
Moon Sign = Libra
·
Ruling Planet = Sun
·
Ruling Angel =
Hamaliel
·
Day of Week = Sunday
The Rose Quartz Woman shared her birthday month with my
father; his birthday was on August 14th and hers falls on August 17th.
This equates to an extraordinary coincidence, as it represents the 7 4 1
signature. While the Rose Quartz Woman is a Leo I can get along with, my father
was a Leo with whom I could not get along at all. The Rose Quartz Woman fits
the typical Leo profile; she has a non-stop work ethic, and it is extremely
difficult to get her to sit down and take a break. She has a warm and
enthusiastic personality, which makes her very popular at work. Exercise takes
a very high-priority in her life, and one of the things I dearly miss are the
daily walks we used to take together on the beach along the shores of Lake
Erie. Since a serious hit-and-run landed me in a wheelchair, my current life is
a pale imitation of what it once was.
Yet another coincidence is the internal organ that relates
to Leo, which is the heart. The Rose Quartz Woman just so happens to be a
registered nurse, and she works on the telemetry unit in one of the local
hospitals in our area. Telemetry is a heart specialist floor, and she has
explained to me that the patients who end up on her floor aren't sick enough to
be placed into the Cardiac Care Unit, but are too ill to be placed on a general
medicine floor.
Because she was born on a Sunday, and Leo is the ruling sign
of that day, this means that the Rose Quartz Woman received the purest form of
Leonine energy. While for others born under this sign, the psychological
factors are mere fascinations, for her, they are extreme compulsions. She could
not do things any differently than she is currently, and this is because of the
influence of that purest form of Leonine energy. This matter will be discussed
further in the section where her astrological report is presented in excerpted
form.
As has just been outlined, both Paula and I were born under
the separate conditions that involved the purest forms of Leonine and
Sagittarian energy. This has created a very interesting dynamic in our
relationship. In our own way, we both possess a forceful will, which manifests
as a whirlwind of energy when we are both on the same page. However, when we
disagree, we can both be stubborn and consistent in our respective worldviews.
On the important things, we are philosophically compatible. We both wanted the
best protection for our son, especially as this was something that we both
thought we would never experience in this lifetime. However, the birth of
Anthony Owen gave us yet another reason to prove the doctors wrong.
And, it brought us great pleasure to do so yet again.
The Three Astrological Reports
With tremendous curiosity, I contacted the astrologer, and
gave her our birthdates and times, as well as the location (city, state, and
country) of our births. About a week later, a fat envelope appeared in our
mailbox. Inside, were three reports:
- KDB
Natal Chart and Merlin Report (11/23/61 Sagittarius - 10:30am Buffalo, NY USA)
- PJB
Natal Chart and Merlin Report (08/17/69 Leo - 4:15pm Buffalo, NY USA)
- KDB
and PJB Compatibility Report (the above info combined in a single chart)
The first report features what is called a natal chart,
which is based on the date, exact time, and location of the individual's birth.
One chart and its' accompanying report is created for each person. This natal
birth chart is part of something called a Merlin Report. This report contains
information on many aspects of one's personality, which are broken down into
ten sections. These sections break the personality down into its' base
characteristics, such as; general personality traits, approach to life, appearance to others, true motivations, mental interests and abilities, emotions,
romance, drive and
ambition, growth and expansion, difficult challenges, originality and imagination, and generational influences of your age
group. Each report is custom, and this
information is extremely specific. I was surprised by how close they were to
describing the two of us, both separately and as a couple.
The third report featured a compatibility chart of our
relationship, which was based upon the date, time, and location of our births.
The two individual natal birth charts are overlaid upon each other, providing a
composite of the relationship. We had met and have been together since July 8,
1988. By 2002, we had been together for fourteen years. These reports were
absolutely stunning in their accuracy! While it is outside the scope of this
essay to fully describe how astrology works, I will describe some of the
basics, as well as directing you to two separate books that are authoritative
and indispensable guides to system of astrology.
The two reports of our births described both of our
personalities to a degree that was at once awesome and a little spooky.
For instance, my birthday is Thursday, November 23rd,
which means I was born under the sun sign of Sagittarius, the ruling sign of
Thursday. In addition, my moon sign is Gemini, and that means that I was born
under the energy of the full moon. The
end-result of this set of circumstances is that the energy is more pure, and so
is the angelic energy. The angel of Thursday 10:00-11:00am is Michael, who has
been a productive force in my own life. Because of Michael ruling over the hour
of the day on which I was born, Michael was selected as the angel of protection
for both parents, as well as the child.
Sagittarians are known to be perpetual students and lovers
of books and knowledge. The most prominent aspect of my home are the many books
on all types of subjects, that can be found literally in every room. When we
purchased our home seven years ago, my goal was to create a world-class
reference library, and now I can say that I was successful in achieving that
lofty goal. Knowledge to me is better than either sex or drugs, and it has been
a primary motivation throughout my entire life. There is, however, one type of
knowledge that I crave more than any other. This is the knowledge which
involves or leads to spiritual ascension.
My entire adult life has been spent researching the very body of knowledge that
has been secreted away behind the esoteric veil of the various Mystery Schools.
Frater Kentroversy's Astrological Report (excerpts)
The following are a few of the individual statements that
were made in my natal birth chart and Merlin report. I was impressed by the
degree of accuracy within this report, as when I sat down and introspectively
examined the report's statements, I discovered many familiar aspects of my life
and modes of personality that were discussed within the pages of the report:
"You are rather worldly-wise at a fairly young age, even
something of a cynic. Often the world doesn't seem like a safe, friendly place
to you, and you tend to approach life in a guarded, conservative manner."
"You are pragmatic, shrewd, and an excellent strategist,
carefully planning your moves for maximum effectiveness and advantage. You are
willing to work long and persistently for what you want ..."
" ... you feel there is much to be gained by studying
history and also by learning from older, more experienced people. A wise mentor
is often your guide in life, and you in turn develop a great deal of
hard-earned wisdom which you like to impart to younger people."
"You have a stern, authoritarian, no-nonsense aspect to
your personality."
"Overeating, especially sweets, can be a problem for you."
"You are an adventurer at heart, one who loves to take
risks, to discover and explore new worlds, and to take the untried path rather
than the safe, reliable one."
"Leading groups and classes are areas where you really
shine and express your creativity. An awareness of politics or the larger
societal impact of individual actions is natural to you."
"You also have an instinctive rapport with animals, and
you feel that you relate better to them than to people."
"Communications is likely to be an important aspect of the
work you do."
"You have a strong mystical and idealistic bent, and you
are strongly attracted to metaphysical and spiritual topics. You are attracted
to those people who have artistic or mystical inclinations."
"You are very thorough and are likely to commit yourself
to some type of study or research work. Not very talkative, you try to avoid
contact with others as much as possible and prefer to do your work in seclusion
or solitude."
"You are inclined to suffer states of melancholy or
depression. You may choose a profession where you are your own boss."
"If you are ever betrayed. You are capable of hating with
as much force and intensity as you once loved."
"You are definitely 'upwardly mobile' in a spiritual sense."
"You are a team player and work well in collaboration with
others who share your goals, ideals, and intentions. You can coordinate group
efforts and inspire people to work toward a shared goal."
"You have a powerful will and when you want something, you
persue it passionately and relentlessly until you achieve it."
"Your attunement to the intangible or unseen world is very
strong. Thus, your drive and ambitions in life are apt to be colored by your
subtle awareness, your mystical or intuitive sensitivity. You also have the
ability to "channel" healing or inspirational messages."
"You have an aptitude for research work, or any field that
involves digging beneath the surface for the hidden elements. An interest in
psychology, hypnosis, and utilizing subconscious forces may well be a key
factor in your career."
"You can't seem to help occasionally injecting a bit of
controversy, or rebelling against the well-established order of things."
"You are a person of great depth and have a deep interest
in the hidden side of life. Issues and experiences that others shun, you are
drawn to and compelled to examine. Death is also an area you are fascinated
with and may explore in detail."
"You have the gift of sudden foreboding and your hunches
are usually right. You also may have an interest in psychic phenomena."
"You often feel a sense of hopelessness and despair about
the world's condition."
Frater K .'. D .'. B .'. Conclusion:
Every single statement
above describes my personality to a very accurate degree. It has been known
since a very early age that I harbored psychic ability. When I became an adult,
I studied in tremendous detail how to develop these skills. I have studied at
Lily Dale, which is a spiritualist community sixty-miles south of Buffalo, New
York USA. I have also studied two separate types of remote viewing; one that is
used by the Pentagon and the military of the USA, and spiritual remote viewing,
which is sponsored by the Prophecy Research Institute.
It is my personally held
belief that if we are able to first collect the proper and correct data, then
we will be better equipped to make intelligent decisions about our lives, and
the outside forces influencing them. This is especially important with the
coming political manipulations which are leading up to 2012. I will be better
equipped to make intelligent decisions to protect my family, if and only if, I
have an idea of what is really going on, and not the pabulum that is being
force fed to the ignorant masses through Lucifer's Dream Box, which is how the late comedian and political
commentator Bill Hicks used to refer to the television sets that we all have in
multiple rooms within our homes.
The Rose Quartz Woman's Astrological Report (excerpts)
The Rose Quartz Woman was born on Sunday, August 17th,
under the sun sign of Leo, the ruling sign of Sunday. The angel of Sunday is
Michael, and this is the reason why Michael was invoked as protector of the
mother, the pregnancy, and of the child.
Here are some of the astrological comments that were made
about the Rose Quartz Woman in her report:
"You are a firey individual, filled with tremendous
passion and zest for life. You thrive in situations where there is energy,
excitement, action, movement, dynamism and drama."
"You inspire others with your generous spirit, your
idealism, spark, and joie de virve."
"You come across as a bit scattered, nervous, or restless,
as if you cannot sit still. You tend to stay perpetually busy, and find
handiwork of some kind to be soothing."
"Doing something well and being respected for it is very
important to you."
"You are actually very dependent on the affirmation, love,
and recognition of others. You cannot bear to be unnoticed or
underappreciated."
"You are also immensely loyal and will defend your loved
ones and stand by them to the end --- as long as they never offend your pride
or betray your trust."
"You have a philosophical turn of mind and are concerned
with seeking answers to the big questions of life."
"You are warm-hearted, kind, generous, and very popular.
Your happy feelings rub off onto others and everyone enjoys being with you."
"You are interested in anything secret and mysterious."
"You could make an excellent psychotherapist, uncovering
the deeper causes and roots of a person's emotional and physical problems. You
are drawn to esoteric studies and the development of unusual mental powers.
Stories of mystery, intrigue, and espionage fascinate you."
"You work well with the public and have an instinct for
what the public wants and will respond to. Providing and caring for others in a
professional capacity is very likely."
"Overeating, especially sweets, can be a problem for you."
"You tend to get distracted by having too many things
going at once."
"You would never be happy in a quiet, sit-down job."
"Setbacks, obstructions, or delays can be expected.
However, this will not stop you and may ultimately be a 'blessing in
disguise.'"
"You can easily lose sight of the big picture, and of what
is working."
"You tend to see traditional religion as restrictive, meaningless
ritual with little to offer you, and you are eager to experiment with alternate
pathways."
"You are compassionate and extremely sensitive to the
emotional tones in the atmosphere surrounding you, you are naturally 'psychic'
or able to sense and understand much about a person without talking to them or
knowing them consciously at all. You are deeply interested in the hidden realms
of life and the afterlife. Your powerful sensitivity may also remain latent or
repressed through much of your life and then be fully awakened in adulthood."
"You persevere in your work, but, you want to do too much
at a time and need to learn to relax."
Soror R .'. Q .'. W .'. Conclusion:
The reader should have immediately noticed several
statements in the above that reflect a common thread running through the lives
of both Frater Kentroversy and his Rose
Quartz Woman. Astrological considerations
lie somewhere outside of physical attraction, and ultimately, it was these
outside forces that determined the true nature of the relationship --- in intellectual, physical,
and spiritual terms.
Some people wish to write this off as mere coincidence,
however, I wish to remind you that, just as the sun and moon affect the tides
in the oceans, they also affect the cycles within the physical body system. As
the human body is 70% water, it is the mystical secrets of astrology that have
been withheld from the knowledge of the general public, namely that we are just
as affected by the sun and moon, as are the oceans of this planet.
Consider this: The closest planetary bodies to Earth are Venus (42 million kilometers) and Mars (75 million kilometers) at the closest points of
their respective orbits. If something that far away has a measurable effect on
human personality and behavior, then can we agree that the general public has
been lied to about the true nature and function of astrology?
Frater Kentroversy and Rose Quartz Woman Compatibility
Report (excerpts)
In the above excerpts, the reader can easily see in which
areas my wife and I are compatible. We are both deeply committed to our own
work, and have a drive and work-ethic that is full of energy and virtually
unstoppable. Especially interesting were the comments made about our individual
careers. The astrologer was never aware of the writing and publishing projects
I have worked on, and yet she referred to these matters over and over again
throughout the report. Likewise, she was never aware of the Rose Quartz Woman
working as a Registered Nurse, and still, she made many comments about her desire
to always help people.
The compatibility report was the most interesting of all, as
in the eleven pages of this report, the astrologer made a total of seventy-two
separate statements that describe our partnership as friends, lovers, and as
the leaders of our spiritual family. If I may explain what I mean by the phrase
spiritual family, it is that group of
people who share our own spiritual journey, and these people are almost
never members of our own birth families.
While we might feel an obligation to our birth family out of the burden of
guilt and the feeling of being in debt, this cannot be said for those of our
spiritual family.
Spiritual family is composed of those who share our own
unique path, and they make themselves known by their intense and unrelenting
curiosity. They appear in our lives at the time when it seems like we are at
our loneliest and most depressed. They ask questions out of a sincere desire to
know us better. They stay to help clean-up after the big celebrations, and they
offer their own help out of love and not out of the expectation of how their
gesture will be reciprocated. This group of people is always small, but offers
abundant encouragement, energy, and love. This type of relationship is
multitudes deeper than one might share with their drinking and watching the
ballgame buddies.
When I had arrived at the most uncertain part of my life, I
began to look at the various relationships in my life in a much different
manner. I began to look at my birth-family as just "the people who share my
last name." This was after my father's five marriages, my mother's nervous
breakdown after my father permanently damaged her self-esteem, and after the
bitter disappointment of my cousins' associating themselves with the
Illuminati. These events (and others like them) helped me to look upon family
in a more pragmatic, yet cynical, way. Throughout my entire childhood, the ones
who delivered the greatest disappointment were always family members.
The Rose Quartz Woman has a very friendly and cheerful
personality, and this makes her very popular with her co-workers and patients.
She is extremely knowledgeable about her career, and works very hard to make
her patients understand that they are in good hands with her expert care. As I
myself have been a professional patient for forty-three years, I recognize
Paula to be one of the three best nurses I have ever seen in my entire life.
However, there are some issues that hinder her chances for an even greater
success in life.
With us as a couple, we have been told that we have a
powerful infinitely-cycling energy that circulates between us. Over the
seventeen years we have been together, we have run into a few instances where
people could not be around us because of the intensity of this energy. In both
of these incidents, the person was a dishonest type, and there is no tolerance
for dishonesty, in my opinion and in my practice.
Here are some of the comments that were made in our
astrological compatibility report:
"Kent helps Paula from getting stuck in a rut, introducing
new ideas and experiences that Paula enjoys."
"Difficult situations or problems that arise between you
are likely to be dealt with logically and with an attempt to be equitable and
fair."
"Paula is more personal, more interested in people and
human situations, while Kent is simply interested in ideas and will talk about
anything at all! You appreciate each other very much as friends, in addition to
the romantic interest you have in each other."
"When you aren't emotionally fulfilled, you are both apt
to turn to food, especially sweets or 'comfort foods' to fill the need."
"At your finest, you can both be very loving and giving.
But at your worst, you can be very infantile and spoiled."
"A lot of 'mothering' will take place between you, taking
turns caring for and allowing each other to be cared for."
"Although your tastes and references are often completely
opposite from each other, you love and admire each other very deeply."
"Facing the dark, painful, or serious side of life is a
focus in your relationship."
"Paula is a stabilizing force in Kent's life, and offers
steady, quiet support when Kent is in need. Paula may help build a firm
foundation and long-term security for Kent's life. It is easy for you to be
committed to one another, both as friends and as lovers."
"You appreciate each others' creative interests and
encourage each other to pursue original, creative activities. Kent especially
feels freer and less inhibited by being with Paula."
"Stimulating, interesting conversations are frequent. The
case of communication and your complementary interests make your conversations
enjoyable and enlightening."
"There is a beautiful flow of love between you."
"You inspire, inflame, vitalize, and energize one another
and you can accomplish much together."
"A disinterest for one another's family, heritage, or
traditions is also a possibility."
"In this relationship, the spiritual or soul-needs take
precedence over the practical or material concerns."
"Together, the two of you will confront some of the most
severe difficulties of your entire lives. A painful loss, and/or very
stressful, oppressing circumstances will test you to the limits. While these
circumstances might appear unjust or cruel, it would be best if you do not
resist. Salvage what is good, and as graciously as possible, relinquish what is
being taken from your lives."
"The two of you will go through profound and radical
changes. You will experience unavoidable turmoil and upheaval, but ultimately,
it will be very liberating."
"Yours is an intellectual relationship. Exchanging
thoughts, studying together, sharing information, talking and bantering,
turning one another on to new books or ideas, sparking one another's curiosity
and interest in the world --- all of these are important aspects of your
relationship."
"Others may find it difficult to be together with you when
you are together."
"There will be an increasing tendency towards simplifying
your lives, eliminating waste, and trying in real, small ways to live your
ideals. Finding a form or structure or some concrete expression of your
spirituality is a part of it. While not a particularly exciting or glamorous or
romantic aspect of your relation ship, it provides quiet, inner-satisfaction,
and must be considered an asset for the two of you."
"Kent helps Paula in very practical, tangible ways. Even
if Kent is not particularly wealthy, circumstances are likely to arise where
Kent is able to provide Paula with material benefits and practical assistance."
"One effect this relationship has on both of you is to
change your philosophical, political, or spiritual beliefs. This is especially
true if your relationship is a long-term serious one. Whatever your spiritual
and political beliefs are when this relationship started, they will continue to
evolve and change as long as you are together. There is also a good chance that
you will become a dynamic team for a progressive cause."
"You are able to share your feelings, interests, and
yearnings with an unusual degree of openness and honesty. It is likely that you
enjoy discussing at length, your feelings and thoughts about literature, the
arts, and psychology. These conversations are invariably mutually stimulating,
interesting, and harmonious. It is possible that you will work together in a
successful business enterprise or creative undertaking."
KDB and PJB Conclusion:
The one comment that we keep hearing over and over again
from people who do not know one another, is that there is a powerful energy
that is created when we are together in the same physical space. Many have
commented on this, and a few have even been unable to tolerate its' intensity.
This is one of those instances where the sum is more powerful than its'
individual components.
Our Love Was Written In The Stars
On the night of our very first meeting, I was told that I
had met the young woman who would later become my wife and life partner. We met
at a party held by someone neither of us knew, and had only met that evening.
In fact, the host of that party had told me that he was only going to be a part
of our lives for a short while, and that very thing happened. As soon as we had
gotten together, the man who created the circumstance for us to meet, had
disappeared and was no longer able to be contacted. This bothered me, as we had
become close friends in the short time we had known one another. But then, I
started thinking about the cosmic order of things. Through that perspective, I
was better able to understand why it had to be that way.
On the night we met, Paula and I were reading the exact same
book, Watchers by Dean Koontz. Not only
were we reading the same book, but we both kept that book in the same exact
place; on the headboard of our respective beds, on the right-hand side as if
one was laying in bed and not merely looking at it from across the room (in
that case it would have been on the left side). We were also on the same exact
page, which contained the 7 4 1 signature --- the first of hundreds of examples
that have occurred throughout our entire seventeen year relationship. It was
page 147. Additionally, this was the only book either of us had ever read by
this author, either before or since!
Neither of us had known anyone at the party on the night we
met, including the host. I had only met him earlier in the day, but otherwise I
didn't know him at all. There were several other coincidences on that night,
such as when Paula pulled out a cigarette, she noticed that the lighter I had
in my pocket was a replica of the very brand of cigarettes she smoked, which
was Salem Slim Lights. The lighter was a
promotional item, which I was given by someone during the July 4th
weekend of a few days earlier.
There were many other coincidences, as well.
In the spring of 1984, I had a tarot card reading from an
older lady that I knew from commuting between my suburban home to my office in
downtown Buffalo, New York USA. Her name was Joan, and she advised me after I
had just been dumped by a girlfriend whom I thought I loved and with whom I
wanted to spend the rest of my life. I was horribly depressed, and I began
drinking heavily in an attempt to deal with the rejection. In fact, I was
abusing alcohol, cocaine, and whatever else I could get my hands on during
those times. I was high twenty-four hours a day. I woke up in the morning,
smoking a rolled joint before my feet even hit the floor. I went to work stoned
on marijuana, but the real fun began after work. I would then drink all night
and smoke weed until I passed out.
The next day, I did it all over again --- ad infinitum, ad nauseum.
Among the many things Joan told me that particular
afternoon, were the circumstances under which I would meet my true love. Her
reading with the Waite-Rider tarot deck revealed to me that I still had to have
relationships with two girlfriends. The third woman I met would be The One. However, she also told
me that my one true love would be the sister of one of my friends from high
school. This confused me and actually fueled my drinking, because the young
lady who dumped me in the rudest way possible, and who shall remain nameless,
was actually the sister of one of my friends from high school. Thinking I still
had a chance, I proceeded to make a fool out of myself for the next few months.
What Joan told me actually did come true, as I am now with
the sister of two of my friends from
high school. After my tarot card reading, it went down exactly as Joan had said
it would. I had two girlfriends over the next four years; Kim H. and Michelle
C. --- just as Joan said would happen. By the end of these two relationships, I
had grown misogynistic. I openly professed my motto at that time to be: "First
me, then you --- maybe," and I had decided
that I would probably spend the rest of my life alone.
I began to withdraw into a bottle of Chivas Regal, and in a
haze of cloudy memories, and somehow, I continued to interact with the world
around me.
The first few days I had known Paula, she and I had talked
at a considerable length about what turned out to be our shared hopes, dreams,
goals, values, accomplishments, and desires. As it turned out, she too had
gotten sick of all the bullshit men put her through, just as I had gotten sick
of all the comments of my past girlfriends telling me that I was too honest, too overwhelming, too intense, and so forth.
I asked her in all sincerity if we could start off by being
friends.
She looked at me in a way where I could sense she was trying
to comprehend my behavior and my comments. I respected her, and very badly
wanted to be with her. I was never a one-night stand type of guy, and even
though she sat on my lap for a good part of the night, I had the hands of a
gentleman. It was love at first sight, and I was hoping that if I acted like a
gentleman, that she would be interested in seeing me again. We took rides out
to Lake Erie beach to watch the sunset --- something I have done literally
thousands of times in my lifetime.
It was during those times when we both realized that it felt
good to be together.
Coincidence, or synchronicity, has been a prevalent aspect
of our relationship together. There have been many occurrences of the 7 4 1
signature throughout every part of our life. Let me give you a few examples
that relate to our home. This will give you an idea of what I am talking about
with these examples. Joan the tarot card reader knew about this, and she told
me to watch for unbroken sequences of these numbers in any order, as it would
be a signpost either calling to my attention some information, or leading me
into a new direction which would ultimately benefit my journey and my spiritual development. When she spoke those
words, she did not know that the address of the farm on which I grew up was
11473 Broadway in a Buffalo
suburb. There is one other notable thing about this address, which I never
understood until long after I had lived there. This is because Paula's maiden
family name just so happens to be Broad!
This ongoing phenomena has followed us to our current home.
We closed, or finalized, the purchase of our house on April
17th, which is a 417. Our homeowner's policy contains the 7 4 1
signature as its' policy serial number. The water, natural gas, and electric
meters all have the 7 4 1 signature, even though those meters were installed
and given their serial numbers when the house was built in 1957. Perhaps most
intriguing was the information on the land survey. This document identifies our
house address as # 14, the land was farm lot # 17, with the tract # 11, and the
row # 7!
Beyond this, we have credit cards, Paula's driver's license,
bank account numbers, safe deposit box numbers, and many other important
numbers of our life together which all contain the 7 4 1 signature. When I was
recently helping a close friend rebuild her credit, I suggested that the best
possible thing she could do was get a secured credit card. When the card came
in, it featured a 417 as the first three digits! This not only verified my
message, but also reinforced the meaning of that message.
Additionally, when you juxtapose the addresses of my commercial
printing business with the number of my home, the 7 4 1 signature once appears.
I have already told you that my current house street number is 14. The street
address for my commercial printing business was 17 North Main Street in a
Buffalo suburb. This is the exact pattern that is found in the August
birthdates involving Paula (Aug. 17th) and my father (Aug 14th).
Sirius Romance Conclusion:
When we have people come to us and tell us that we are
memorable people who have interesting and fascinating things to say, we are
reminded that there is much more than physical attraction at play in our
relationship. While I am not claiming to be an expert at astrology, I do have a
unique opportunity to test the nature versus nurture theory. I do have the
unique opportunity to see if we can influence the desired personality traits of
our unborn child simply by calling for
them.
Magick interests me, ultimately because its' processes
involve primarily the mind. Samadhi is
the single-most desired goal of yoga, and this is because Samadhi is control of
the mind. For those unfamiliar with this term, Samadhi is a state of pure
blissful consciousness. In various cultures and religious traditions, Samadhi is also known as; Satori, Enlightenment, Gnosis, Tao, Bliss, Nirvana, and many others.
This is the end result of many of the exercises in the beginning magick books,
to teach people how to control their mind, and then to extend that control to
the world around them. With these magickal protection rituals, we are bringing
the entire process full circle.
What was externalized is once again internalized, to be
recycled and renewed with the new life we are bringing into the world.
Dates of the Protection Rituals
All of the following dates were selected to experiment with
astrology as a method through which the personality of the child can be induced
through focused ritual practice and the combined energies of the mother,
father, and the godparents. The various dates were selected because of the
personality traits associated with the various signs. These dates were also
selected because of their approximation to the three trimesters and to the
final birth delivery date.
As I stated earlier, I had been getting quite curious about
astrology, especially as many of the United States first ladies have used this
as part of their decision-making process, most notably, Eleanor Roosevelt,
Nancy Reagan, and Hillary Clinton. I already had success in defeating the HIV
virus through sheer force of will --- and now I was willing to put nature versus
nurture to the test.
The dates of the following protection rituals were selected
for two reasons; the first was to coincide with the three trimesters and the
birth of our son. The second reason was because these dates included the proper
astrological energies that we desired in our child. We were going to see if we
could have an effect in helping him to learn faster, become interested in the world because of intellectual
curiosity, and grow into an impressive human being. However, for now all we are looking for
is a healthy birth.
01. Monday, August 30, 2004 (12th
week)
·
Sun in Virgo
·
Ruling Angel =
Hamaliel
·
Full Moon in Pisces
·
Birth protector of
both parents = Michael
Sun & Moon Signs,
pgs. 304-305:
Desired Traits
- self-confidence, concentration, persistence, intuition, logic, practicality
Undesired Traits
- unruly emotions, deceptiveness, worry, over-excitation
This was the original ritual, picked because it was the
first Pisces full moon several weeks after we found out that we were going to
be parents. This ritual was written and prepared by myself, and as such, it
harbored a greater intensity. Held during the twelfth week of pregnancy, the
opening ritual symbolically referred to the first trimester of growth. In the
ritual instruction that appears in Maybe Quarterly # 01, there was a great deal
of that ritual that referred to healing,
filtering, and protection. Because this was a Piscean full moon, this meant
the energy would be purer and at its' strongest. Also, because this was related
to birth, the female Luna (Moon) energy was sought, and not the Pisces male Sun
energy.
In fact, think about this: the two beginning days of each
new calendar week are Sunday and Moonday. The Sun represents the male lingam phallic
energy, and is always shown superior to the Moon. The moon itself is female
yoni vaginal energy, and is always shown inferior to the Sun. This is the yin
and yang of our days --- bright for day, dark for night. An excellent example
of this was shown in the television series Star Trek: The Next
Generation, in a 1993 episode entitled Masks. If the reader has access to this show on DVD, I
highly recommend watching this episode, as it is quite an excellent example of
solar-lunar myth, performed in the style of a Mystery School play, such as Aleister Crowley's own Rites
of Eleusis (Equinox I:6 special supplement, pgs. 1-124).
The five parties that constituted the circle of protection
included the mother and baby, the father, and both godparents (the mother and
father's best friends). This group represents the pentagram's five elements;
air (father), earth (godfather), fire (mother), water (godmother), and spirit
(child-to-be). The angel that was evoked was Michael, as he played a part in
the birth of both parents; as he is the angel of the day on which the mother
was born (Sunday, 4:15pm), and the hour of the day on which the father was born
(Thursday, 10:30am).
Virgo and Pisces are polar opposites, so this configuration
denotes a full moon.
With the sun in Virgo, this gave us the chance to begin the
infusion of positive personality traits into the spirit of the unborn child.
With this ritual, we began by asking for a child who would have a hard-working
ethic just like both parents. Additionally,
the father placed his own sense of intensity into everything that the child will do as he grows
up. These qualities will become increasingly important as the world continues
to grow evermore uncertain. Like the father, Virgo energy can lead to fully
developed communications skills. However, the child will learn to stick to the
necessary minimum. No one likes mindless banter that is both loquacious and verbose. Knowing how to express oneself is an important trait should the child
desire to become a practicing magician.
Because the deliberate dumbing down of America is an issue
of great concern, it will be of paramount importance to teach the things that
will truly help in life. Virgo energy also leads to students who are well
organized and interested in learning. As the Sagittarian father is a perpetual
student, the son will find a veritable library right within his own home. This
library is extensive, with several thousand books in both physical and virtual
formats. The Virgo desire to learn, combined with the Sagittarian energy of the
perpetual student, should make for a well-read and interesting adult.
What we infused into this first ritual through our own
willed-intent is something known as intellectual curiosity. This is a life-long trait whereby the individual
values the learning process and is always seeking out new and interesting books
and other repositories of knowledge. What would be unacceptable is a stultified intellect, or worse yet, a stillborn intellect. This is where the individual is reactive and not proactive in any way. This is what the societal
manipulators desire most, a child that is simply one who follows all orders and
never questions authority. If this ends up happening, I will have to consider
myself a failure as a parent.
This ritual also featured a Pisces full moon. This was
selected because of the moon's connection to the female form and motherhood,
and also to balance out the entire ritual process, with Anthony Owen being born
under the Pisces sun. This balance was maintained throughout the pregnancy, and
this is reflected in the dates that were selected. In the various rituals, you
will find Pisces, Leo, Sagittarius, Virgo, Aquarius, and Taurus. All of these
were selected because of the various energies associated with their various
astrological configurations. When the Rose Quartz Woman and I saw how accurate
the astrology reports we had compiled, we wanted to see if we could infuse a
little magick into the development of the unborn child.
02. Saturday, November 20, 2004 (24th
week)
·
Sun in Sagittarius
·
Ruling Angel = Michael
·
Moon in Pisces
Sun & Moon Signs,
pgs. 454-455:
Desired Traits
- versatility, consistency,
understands big-picture, love of
books and knowledge
Undesired Traits
- hesitation, gullibility, over-eating
under stress, conformity
This second ritual was for the purpose of the unborn child
to absorb the power and energy of the father, who happens to be a Sagittarian.
This also served as a reciprocal of the father having received Piscean energy
from an earlier moon ritual involving the full moon of Pisces. Once again, the
Michael invocation was used, as in the first ritual of August 30, 2004.
Here, the sun energy is Sagittarius, which represents the
father. This will create a person who is able to see the big-picture, and who
acts upon a much different set of data than everyone else around them. Intellectual
curiosity is important in the day and age
when stupidity is rewarded. Let me give you a few examples to exemplify what I
mean by dumbed-down:
Because of the manner in which this society has been dumbed
down, it was of paramount importance that the intelligence of the son had to be
dealt with in a tangible way.
With the sun in Sagittarius, and the moon in Pisces, a
connection was made between the father and son. This energy was designed to
influence the son whenever the mother and father were both home. This was
accomplished via the crystals and the special grid that was designed and
implemented to facilitate the process. The visitors to our home have commented
that the | 